Explosion at chemical plant in Jinzhou, Hebei: Person in charge arrested; plant has polluted groundwater for years

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According to reports from the technology media site Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Network, at around 11 a.m. on September 8, an explosion occurred at an illegal facility in Dongsilu Village, Donglizhuang Town, Jinzhou City, Shijiazhuang, where dye intermediates such as P-acid were being processed. 　　According to a report issued by the Publicity Department of Jinzhou City Party Committee on the 9th, the accident resulted in 5 deaths, 1 serious injury, and 1 person missing. Zhang Chaoyi and Wang Haitao, the managers of the processing plant, have been detained, and their bank accounts and assets have been frozen. The cause of the accident is under further investigation. 　　According to information gathered at the scene yesterday (September 10), the Jinzhou City Senior Citizens Service Center is located less than 100 meters southeast of the explosion site. A responsible official at the center said that at the time of the incident, there were over ten people in the nursing home, including caregivers; currently, 9 seniors and 2 caregivers are injured, with \"most suffering only minor cuts and injuries.\" 　　The official said that the factory where the explosion occurred had its doors closed during the day, started operating after 10 p.m., and that they had never met the owner of the factory. 　　Furthermore, according to several local villagers, the illegal processing plant has been operating there for many years and is polluting the groundwater; villagers in Dongsilu Village must obtain water from the neighboring village of Xinfeng Village. 　　The explosion site was located right next to the nursing home. At noon on the 9th, 24 hours had passed since the explosion at the illegal processing site in Dongsilu Village, Donglizhuang Town, Jinzhou City. 　　Not a single intact building was seen at the scene; the illegal processing site was located within a courtyard of about 1,000 square meters, with the main explosion point situated in the southeast corner of the courtyard. After the explosion, a crater about 10 meters in diameter and 3 meters deep was left. About 5 meters away from the crater, there was a yellow-colored pool from which yellow bubbles were emerging. An explosion at an illegal factory in a village in Jinzhou took place right next to a nursing home; as a result of the explosion, a crater with a diameter of about 10 meters and a depth of 3 meters was left behind. 　　About 10 meters south of Huangshui Pool, a large number of trees are leaning southward with their crowns missing. In the woods, an agricultural tricycle was twisted and deformed. 　　About 100 meters south of the explosion site is the Jinzhou City Senior Citizens Service Center. 　　According to the villagers of Beisi Village, before the explosion, there were two processing sites in the yard; “now there’s nothing left of them.” ”　　At least 30 people were in the factory at the time of the explosion. Liu Xinliang (a pseudonym), in his 40s, is a plumbing repairman. A few days ago, Liu Xinliang and his colleague Luo Min (a pseudonym) received a job offer call from workers at another processing site within the compound of the illegal processing facility where the explosion occurred. Subsequently, Liu Xinliang started working there for a wage of 150 yuan per day per person. 　　To Liu Xinliang’s surprise, as soon as the work of repairing the water pipes began, he heard an explosion from the neighboring factory, which was less than 6 meters away; the sound wasn’t very loud. Immediately, white smoke rose in the yard, and Liu Xinliang and Luo Min ran outside. After a while, a second explosion came from behind him; \"Asbestos shingles hit my back, otherwise I would have died there.\" ”Liu Xinliang rolled up his oil-stained T-shirt; there were two long scratches on his back. 　　Liu Xinliang said that at the time of the explosion, there were at least 30 people in the two factories.